Automatic valve-controller



G. R. RICHARDSON.

AUTOMATIC VALV E CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.'11,1920.

l,368,%5. Patenteii Feb. 15,1921.

@6078? aware w rarest OFFICE.

GEORGE R. RICHARDSON, 035 ALLSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC VALVE-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed March 11, 1920. Serial No. 364,978.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. REICI-IARD- I son, a citizen oi the Kingdom of Great Britain residing at Allston, in the county of Suiiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic ValveControllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic valve controllers, and is especially adapted for use in fire extinguisher apparatus, and other fluid pressure systems wherein, under normal conditions, a high pressure is maintained on one side of the control valve and a low pressure on the other side thereof.

The particular object of this invention is to provide a manually closed control valve located between the high and low fluid pressures, and which will automatically open when the fluid pressure is reduced below normal on the low pressure side of the control valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide secondary or auxiliary valve which will automatically operate by a reduction of fluid pressure on the low pressure side of the main control valve and thereby cause a suitable connecting mechanism to operate and forcibly open the main control valve between the high and low i'luid pressures of the system.

These and other objects are'attained by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the improved automatic valve controller shown partly in section, and

1 Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View showing a portion of the secondary valve mechanism,

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawing designate like parts In the main pipe line 5 is secured a valve casing 6 having an apertured horizontal partition 7 in which is located a valve seat 8.

A main control valve 9 is constructed to engage said valve seat 8 and is provided with an upwardly extending valve stem 10 having a hand-wheel 11- secured to the upper end. Valve stem 10 passesthrough a stufiing box 12 and is screw-threaded a portion of its length as shown at 13, said threaded portion being engaged by a nut let which is supported and vertically guided by a bracket 15 forming part of a standard 16 that is suitably secured to the top of the valve casing 6.

In this particular system it is desired to normally look the main valve 9 upon the.

seat 8, and a locking means is provided which consists of a yoke 17, pivoted to the standard 16 at 18, and provided with side slots 19 through which are engaged trun nions or pins 20 projecting from the nut 14. At the free end of the yoke 17 is pivoted a trigger-lever 21, the same being provided with a notch 22 which is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 23 on an arm 24 pivoted at itslower end to the casing at 25. To support the arm 2 1, a link 26 is provided, one end of which is pivoted at 2'? to the free end of the yoke 17, and its other end is pivoted below the pawl 23 to the arm 24:, as shown at 28. Trigger-lever 21 is provided with an extension 29 projecting beyond the fulcrum or pivotal point 27 of the lever, and which is adapted to engage against the yoke 17 when the long arm of the trigger is forced upwardly.

. An automatically operating releasing means for unlocking the locking means of the main valve 9 and for positively lifting the main-valve from its seat is provided, the same being caused to operate when the fluid pressure in the low pressure side is reduced. This releasing means embodies a secondary valve 80, a,fluid pressure diaphragm 31, a pressure operated piston device 32, and suitable lever and pipe connections located between the variou parts of the system.

The secondary valve 30 is mounted in a casing 31 having one end connected to the high pressure side of the main pipe line 5 by a pipe 32, and its other end connected by a pipe 33 to the piston chamber 34 below the piston 35 therein. The upper end of the piston chamber is open to the atmospherqand' the piston 85 is provided with an upwardly extending stem 36 which passes through the open end oi the chamber and whose upper end terminates short of the trigger lever 21., The stem 30 oi? the valve 30 is pivotally secured at its upper end to a lever 37 pivoted at 38 to the valve casing, and which free end is adapted to be held down by a pawl 39 on a trigger-latch 4-0, said triggerdatch d0, be ing suitably pivoted at ll. and provided with V a lifting-linger 42 and a counter- Weight 43' on opposite sides of its pivotal point.

The lower free end of said trigger-latch is adapted to be engaged by a lug or stop 44- on a counter-balance lever 45 when the trig-- ger-latch is in a locked position to hold the valve 30 to the seat, and said counter-balance lever is held inits locked position by fluid pressure from the lower pressure side of the main valve 9, which is conducted by a pipe 46 to a chamber 47 underneath a diaphragm 48 which is connected to the counter-balance lever.

'Counter-balance lever is pivoted at one end at 49 to'the diaphragm chamber casing, and at its free end is provided with an ad justable weight 50for adjusting the pressure on the diaphragm to balance the low pressure of the system.

The connection between the valve stem 30' and the secondary valve operating lever 37 is such that theycan be adjusted relative counter-weight 43 will drop and remove pawl 39 from engagement with 37', and at the same time lifting-finger 42 will the under side of the lever 37 and forcibly lift it and its valve 30 from seat 31. This will allow high pressure to pass through pipe 32, open valve 30, and pipe 33 to the piston chamber 34 and operate piston '35 upwardly and causeits stem to lift triggerlever 21 which will disengage the pawl. 23 from notch 22, thereby releasing the, loci: of the main valve, and as the valve stem 36 continues its upward movement, extension 29 of the trigger-lever will engage the yolre 17, and the yoke and trigger-lever will then be moved upwardly together a unit ant positively lift the valve 9 from its seat, thereby allowing the full high pressure to pass into the lower pressure side. The connection between the arm 24 and link 26 is such that a toggle joint is provided, which, when thrown to the unlocked position, as shown in dotted lines, will aline the centers of the pivots and form a lock to retain the valve 9 open until manually readjusted, it being understood that the several parts are manually operated to their closed position.

--A spring 51 is placed around the valve stem 10 and as the valve 9 isopened tne upper end of the spring engages the housing of the valve and isslightly compressed when the valve is fully open. This forms a cuslr ion for the valve in its upward movement.

It will be further understood that the high and low pressures can be reversed from the position described, that is the high pressure might be to the right of the valve 9 and the low pressure to the left of the same, but the other parts of the system will have to be adjusted accordingly. 1

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is p 1. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipe-line, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fiuid pressure on one side of said main valve and a contant low fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated locking means for locking said main valve closed, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means, and a manually closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the main pipe and said fluid pressure releasing means, a lock for the secondar valve and'means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in t is low pressure side of the main pipe to release the loclr of said secondary valve and positively opening the same.

' 2. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, .a normally closed main valve in said pipeline, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fluid pressure on one side of said main valve and a constant low fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated locking means for locking said main'valve both in the closed and open position, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means, and a manually closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the mail pipe and said fluid pressure releasing means, and means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in the low pressure side of the mail. pipe for opening said secondary valve.

3. in a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipe-line and having a stem provided with trunnions, said pipe-line adapted to normally havea constant high fluid pressure on one side of said main valve and a constant low fluid pressure on'the opposits side 'of the main valve, a manually operated locking means for locking said main valve both in'the closed and open'position, said locking means embodying a yoke having a pivoted engagement with the trunnions on the stem of the main valve, a

lever, and a releasing means for said look ing means operated from the high pressure side of the main pipe-line.

a. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipeline, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fluid pressure on one side of said main valve and a constant low fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated locking means having a toggle mechanism and a trigger lever for locking the main valve open or closed respectively, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means embodying a fluid pressure chamber, a piston in said chamber, and a piston stem adapted to engage said trigger lever of the locking means, and a normally closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the main pipe and the fluid pressure chamber of the releasing means, and means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in the low pres sure side of the main pipe for opening said secondary valve. 4

5. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipe-line, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fluid pres sure on one side of said main valve and a constant low fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated locking means having a toggle mechanism and a toggle lever for locking the main valve closed and open, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means, a normally closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the main pipe and thefluid pressure chamber of the releasing means, and means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in the low pressure side of the main pipe for opening said secondary valve embodying a diaphragm fluid pressure chamber in communication with the low pressure side, and a trigger control mechanism between the diaphragm of the diaphragm fluid pressure chamber and the stem of said secondary valve.

6. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipe-line, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fluid pressure on one side of said main valve and a constant low fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated looking means having a toggle mechanism and a toggle lever for locking the main valve closed and open, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means, a normally closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the main pipe and the fluid pressure chamber of the releasing means, and means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in the low pressure side of the main pipe for opening said secondary valve embodying a diaphragm fluid pressure chamber in communication with the low pressure side, a counterbalance lever connected to the diaphragm, a trigger-latch constructed to be retained in holding position by said counterbalance lever, and a secondary valve operat ing lever constructed to be held in closed position by said trigger-latch.

7. In a fluid pressure system having a main pipe-line, a normally closed main valve in said pipe-line, said pipe-line adapted to normally have a constant high fluid pressure on one side of said main valve and a constantlow fluid pressure on the opposite side of the main valve, a manually operated locking means for locking the main valve closed, a fluid pressure operated releasing means for said locking means, a normally closed secondary valve located in a pipe connection between the high pressure side of the main pipe and the fluid pressure chamber of the releasing means, and means operated by a reduction of fluid pressure in the low pressure side'of the main pipe for opening said secondary valve embodying a diaphragm fluid pressure chamber in communication with the low pressure side, a counterbalance lever connected to the diaphragm, a trigger-latch constructed to be retained in holding position by said counter-balance lever and provided with a lifting-finger, and a secondary valve operating lever constructed to be held in closed position by said trigger-latch and be forced to open position by the lifting-finger on the trigger-latch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE It. RICHARDSON. 

